Package opener



Aug. 5, 1941. M. LENCIONE" PACKAGE OPENER Filed May 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 3.

FIG. 2.

FIG.

FIG. IO.

FIG. 2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 5, 1941. M. LENCIONE PACKAGE OPENER Filed May 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.

FIG. l7.

FIG. l6.

FIG. 24.

FIG

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT O FFICE 2,251,458 PACKAGE OPENER, L

Michael Lencione, Sheboygan Falls, Wis. I Application May 2a 1938, Serial No 2 09,4=3 3 2 Claims. 101129-51 The invention relates to package openers and more particularly to a combination of orarrangement of elements in a cigarette or similar package including .a removable member whereby a portion of the end of the package may be vremoved ortorn off .on the removal of-said member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a package opener arrangement embodying a tab enclosed within the package at the time the end flaps are folded over and having. a part projecting from the end closure and adapted to be grasped by the: user and pulled out of the package while tearing off parts of the end closure to open .up the package.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

' In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a package provided with an opener .arrangement embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional View taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detailed plan view of the partially completed package, parts being broken away;

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a detailed plan view of the package with the end flaps turned down, parts being broken away;

Fig. 8 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 88 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a detailed view similar to Fig. 8 showing the covering applied to the package;

Fig. 10 is a detailed plan view showing an opened package;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing certain modifications, parts being broken away;

Fig. 1-2 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line l2|2 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a detailed plan view of the partially completed package, parts being broken away;

Fig. '14 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line I4l4 of Fig. 13 with the outer covering shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 15 is a detailed plan view showing an opened package.

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of another modified form, parts being broken away;

Fig. 17 is a'detailed sectional view taken on .theline I'I--I1 of Fig, 16; M Fig. 18 is an end view of a package shown in Fig. 1'7;

'Fig. 19, is a top view of the partially completed-package, parts being broken away;

Fig. .20 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 2 020 of Fig. 19;

Fig. 2 -1 is a view of the completed package, parts being broken away;

Fig.,22 is a detailed sectional View taken on the line 2222 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 23 is an end viewof package shown in Fig. 22;

Fig. 24 is a view similar to Fig. 22 with the addition of a tab-covering flap;

Fig. 25 is an end view of the package shown in Fig. 26 is an end view of an opened package.

Referring tothe drawings, the numeral I6 designates ingeneral a-wrapper-or package for cigarettes which at one end has end flaps l1 and i8 folded-inwardly in the-usual, manner and secured together to ,form'an end closure. Accord- ,to the present invention, however, before folding over the flaps, I place a tab member I9 over the tops of the cigarettes at one end portion of the package as shown in Fig. 1, said member 19 having a body portion substantially the width of the package and preferably having an upwardly extending projection 20 which as shown in Fig. 4 is disposed beyond one of the flaps H. The oppositely disposed end flaps 18 are provided with slits or cuts 2|, so that when they are folded down as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the projection 20 will project through the slits 2|. Thereafter, the package may be completed by the addition of the usual Cellophane wrapper or covering 22. This covering is shown in Fig. 9 and is shown as completely enclosing the package including the projection 20, but in some instances this projection Zll may project through suitably formed slits in the Cellophane wrapper 22 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, these slits being similar to the slits or cuts 2 I.' With either of the above constructions when the user takes hold of the projection 20 and pulls outwardly on it, it will act to tear the flaps ll adjacent the sides of the package as shown in Fig. 10 and will thus open up the end of the package. Where the covering 22 is used to completely cover the projection 20, it will, of course, be necessary to remove a portion of this covering so as to gain access to the projection 20.

With the form shown in Figs. 11 to 14, inclusive, the tab member 23 is placed in the package I 6' over the tops of the cigarettes, so that its end 24 projects through a slot 25 formed in the wrapper at the base of the end flap 26, and then the closing of the end flaps 25 and 21 is accomplished in the usual manner. Thereafter, the outer proteotive covering 28 of Cellophane or other suitable material may be applied to the package as indicated in Fig. 14 and may completely enclose the package including the projection 20 or may in some instances as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 14 project through a slot in the wrapper similar to the slot 25. With either of the above constructions when the projection 24 is exposed and the user pulls outwardly on it, he will tear out the end flap 26 of the package, and then the other end flaps 21 may be torn out to open up the end of the package as shown in Fig. 15.

With the form shown in Figs. 16 to 26 the tab member 29 has a part 30 placed in the package 3! over the tops of the cigarettes, a part 32 extending down the side of the package and tapering inwardly to the tab 33 which projects out through a slot 34 in the side of the package. The end flaps 35 and 36 are closed over in the usual manner. The outer covering 3?, usually a moisture proof Cellophane, is then placed over the package, so that its single thickness end 38 fits over the end having the tab member, and where the tab projects through the package, the outer wrapper or covering 31 is preferably cut out as indicated at 39, and this opening 39 and the tab 33 are preferably covered over by a cover flap 40 of Cellophane cemented to the outer covering and having a free end 4| which may be grasped by the operator to remove said flap 40, so as to expose the tab 33. Grasping the exposed tab 33 of this construction and pulling upwardly on it with the thumb and forefinger of one hand while grasping the package with the other hand with the thumb resting on the end adjacent the tab will cause said tab member to tear out a hole such as 42 in Fig. 26 and to tear out a flap 43 from the package which may be pulled back over the end of the package so as to tear off a part of the end closure. Where as noted above the outer covering 31 only has a single thickness over the top, the same will be readily torn during the removal of the tab member 29.

The outer coverings 22 and 28 of the previously described forms may have the single thickness end disposed adjacent the tab members 19 and 23, so that the tab may be more easily inserted through a slot in the covering and so that the covering will be easier to tear.

I desire it to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are included in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a package having portions forming an end closure, a removable member loosely mounted in the package having a portion beneath said closure of a width substantially equal to the width of the package and a part disposed inside said package adjacent the side of the package and a tab at its lower end of less width projecting through the side of the package, said part at the side of said package tapering from the end of said package to said tab, the pulling of said tab from the package acting to tear an opening in the end of the package, a covering member for said package having an opening through which said tab projects, and a removable cover flap for covering said tab and said opening.

2. The combination with a package having portions forming an end closure, a removable member loosely mounted at one end of said package beneath said closure and extending down a distance on one side of said package and disposed inside said package with its lower end formed as a tab projecting through the side of the package and bent against the outside of the package and adapted to be pulled to tear out a part of the side and top at one corner of the package, a covering member for said package having an opening through which said tab projects, and a removable cover flap for covering said tab and said opening and having a tab portion for grasping said flap for its removal.

MICHAEL LEN CIONE. 

